Hinge-holding mechanism



Oct. 17, 1950 P. H. DURUP '2,525,209

HINGE-HOLDING MECHANISM Filed Oct. '7, 1947 44 o 0 Iy@ 53 l @o 4b 1 48 1.9""944 5' @j 48HI y .53

4e 4a .A a 4a' 44 Patented Oct. 17, 1950y 2,526,209 HINGEeHoLDrNG MECHANIsM Paul lH. Durup, Wollaston, Mass., assignor'to Joseph D. Ramsey, Watertown, Mass.

Application October 7, 1947, Serial No. 778,389 1 claim. (o1. 16-142) This invention relates to4 hinges and more especially to a combination hinge and catch for doors, covers, gates and various other structures which are vrequired to be pivotally secured.

Anobject of the invention is to improve hinges and to devise a catch mechanism which, in response to movement of one section `of a hinge member, is capable of detachably securing the door or other structure referred to in closed position. Another object of the invention is to devise a catch mechanismv which may befconstructed as an integral part of a conventional hinge and thus eliminate the use of separate latching mechanisms' or otherfastening means. Still another object of the invention is to provide a simple, cheap and easily installed hinge and catch arrangement which is easily engaged and disengaged and which is completely concealed from view when in a,closed condition.

These and other novel features will appear from the followingv description of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of a door` supported in a door jamb by means of hinges made in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing a single hingein a fully opened position;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the hinge in an open position;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view further illustrating a door in a closed position and being temporarily fastened by the hinge of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a detail elevational view illustrating armodied retaining element;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspectiveview illus trating another form of catch mechanism for a hinge;

Fig. 7 is a plan View of the catch mechanism shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 isan end elevational view of the hinge shown in Fig. 6;

'Fig'.'9 is a cross sectional view of the same; and

. Figs. 10 and l1 illustrate slightly modified forms of the structure shown in Figs. 6-9 inclusive. The improved hinge and catch mechanism has been illustrated in the drawings for use in supporting a door in a door jamb, andrthis arrangement is .intended to be generally illustrative of v application of the hinge to various types of pivated-members such as a cabinet door, covers for containers of varying types, gates, and numerous other structures where a pivoted arrangement is desirable. In making the combination hinge and catch shown in the drawings, various types of materials may be resorted to, including metals,

2 i plastics, and the like, with a conventional hinge material such as brass or a chrome alloy being found most desirable. 'l

A preferred embodiment of the invention in-v cludes a pair of hinge sections pivotally secured one to the other, each of which carries one element of a catch mechanism adapted to be brought into interlocking relation when the hinge sections are swung into a closed position. One

desirable form of the invention is illustratedA in Fig. l, comprising a door I2, supported by a plurality of hinges, of lwhich hinge sections I4 are `fastened to an edge of the door by means of screws I6 and hinge sections I4 arepivotally mounted on fixed` hinge sections IB, in turn fastened to a door jamb 2l! by screws 22. The two sections I4 and I8 of each hinge are interchangeable in re` spect to the manner of attachment to the door and door jambV described.v v l In securing the hinges in place Athe hingeY section 'I4' is preferably set into a recessZrcut in -the edge of door I2 so 'that the'upper face of section I4 lies in a plane slightly below the's'ur face 24 of the door I2. The depth of recess 26 may for example conveniently consist of va dis` tance equal to one-half of the thickness of the hingeV section I4.` Similarly, the hinge section I8 is set into a recess 28 in door jamb 20 to approximately the same depth.

At the central portion of hinge section I8', there is formed a socket comprising a split ring 32 and a series of annularly spaced-apart fingers 30 which are struck from the material of which the hinge section I8 is comprised, for example by means of a die. -The lingers 30 have their upper extremities rounded over a position to loosely retain the split ring member 32 'which is preferably formed of resilient material such as spring I steel. In this position the split ring may be expanded into a slightly greater circumference while still enclosed vby .the 'ngersg Mounted for engagement with-the expanding A ringV member 32 is a button-shaped projection 34 extending upwardly from the central portion of thehinge section I4. The projection 34 con sists of a flattened head whose circumference is slightly greater than the circumference of the split ring in its normally closed position, and the flattened headis supported by a reduced neck 36. Preferably'the projection 34 is formed integral with the hinge'section bydieing Yout an extruded projection 4U 'as shown in Fig. 5.

rIn actual use of a door equipped with my improved combination hinge and catch, the door I2, for example, is swung from a position such as that indicated in Fig. 1 into a fully closed position as indicated in Fig. 4, with the hinge section I4 moving into position with the hinge section I8 as shown. As this movement takes place, the flattened head of projection 34 becomes forced through the split ring which expands to permit passage of the flattened head and then contracts to bear lightly against the reduced neck 36. This provides a light yet positive holding means for maintaining the hinge sections and door in a closed position and thus serve the purpose of an outside door latch or other locking mechanism and yet at the same time remains entirely concealed from View. In opening the door l2, no separate unlatching operation is necessary as a light pull on the door, applied through a knob or other suitable handle at the outside thereof, will readily disengage the projection 34 from the split ring 32, thus permitting the door to be swung outwardly. By suitably adjusting the tension of the split ring 32, it is possible to control the holding action of the hinge so that while it is readily opened as noted above, it nevertheless eliminates any tendency for the door to rattle or squeak when in a closed position and acted on by drafts or other agencies.

Another desirable embodiment of the invention may consist ofl a catch mechanism such as that shown in Figs. 6-9 inclusive, in which two hinge sections 42 and 44, secured in a recessed manner, as described above, are formed with upset lug portions 46 and 48. The latter elements are reversely bent to form interlocking surfaces which may be brought together in the manner indicated in Fig. 9, and thus function to detachably hold the hinge sections in a suitably closed position. In forming the reversely bent lugs 46 and 48, there are preferably provided extended slots 50, l, 52 and 53 in the hinge section material, and these slots may conveniently be formed in the same dieing operation which forms the lugs.` The purpose of the slots is to impart a greateir-degree of springiness to the upstanding lugs so that they tend more readily to flex into and out of interlocking engagement with one another when the hinge sections are brought together. The lug construction described may also conveniently take the form illustrated in Figs. and 11, in which the lugs 54 and 56 are located along the edges of the constituent hinge sections. This arrangement is especially suited to application with very small and especially narrow hinge sections. With these narrow hinge sections, it may also be found desirable to extend the slots transversely as is illustrated by the slots 58 in Fig. 10. Similarly the lugs may take other forms and be located at other points along the hinge surfaces.

It will be found from the foregoing description ofthe invention, that I have provided a simple, cheap and ecient catch mechanism combined with a hinge to aid in closing and fastening various types of doors, covers, gates and other pivotally supported structures. It should also be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular form of hinge noted but is suitable for use wherever two opposing surfaces are moved into close proximity to one another during the opening or closing of one of the structures referred to. For example in some types of hinge arrangements, the two hinge sections may contact one another and in this case it may be desired to provide for one of the catch elements projecting throughA a hinge section into the wood or other supporting surface to which the hinge section is fastened. In this case the wood could be cut away kt0 permit such entry by the catch element. I may also desire to adapt the catch mechanism 'to a hinge construction in which one hinge section approaches or comes into contact with the inner edge of the pivoted member. In this type of hinge, I may apply one catch element directly to the edge of the pivoted member and the other catch element may be mounted on a hinge section in the manner already described and in a position to engage with `the rst catch element.

It will be evident that the use of the combination hinge and catch is extremely convenient and eliminates the need of separate latch or locking mechanisms yas well as the cost of these items and their installation. It should also be observed that by combining the catch mechanism directly in the hinge sections, there is less likelihood of doors and covers getting out of adjustment such as sometimes happens when a door or cover sags in its jamb, thus throwing out of alinement a catch element fastened to the outside of the door relative to a catch element located on the door j amb. The arrangement of the catch mechanism at the hinge point results in this catch mechanism being substantially independent of possible sagging and thus rendering satisfactory service over long periods of time.

I claim:

An improved hinge comprising two hinge sections pivotally secured together about a common axis of rotation, means for locking the hinge sections in a closedk position, said means including a pair of interengaging elements, one of said elements being a headed projection carried by one of said hinge sections, and the other element a socket to receive said headed projection, said socket comprising a split spring ring and a series of fingers struck from the other hinge section, which fingers engage spaced outer portions of said ring.

PAUL I-I. DURUP.

REFERENCES CITED The followingl references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 548,501 Barbarow Oct. 22, 1895 717,813 Colman Jan. 6, 1903 919,154 Gen Apr. 20, 1909 1,081,795 Van Ormer Dec. 16, 1913 1,693,706 Borchert Dec. 4, 1928 2,182,546 Raymond Dec. 5,'1939 

